Oak Father
The Root of Heaven Oak Father
The Oak Father is among the oldest sophonts among us. He has witnessed the entirety of the history of Kirinal, from its founding as a farming settlement, its rise as the capitol of a great nation, its Disintegration, the chaos of the Kirinal Pit, and the rise of our Concordant civilization. He brings green forests back from barren wastelands and we are forever thankful to him.
Of course we all love the Oak Father, but did you hear that he's banging a mushroom?
Oak Father is the leader of the ents in the Ki-Rin Forest and a founding member of the Heavenly Council of Ki-rins. This ancient tree is older than the nation of Lozar. He sprouted in the Kirinal Forest before the original city of Kirinal even existed.
Despite his great age and his incredible accomplishments the Oak Father has become most famous for his recent love affair with a mushroom.
Rooted in Time
He witnessed it all: the day the first settlers arrived, when Loz met the Ki-rin, the founding of Lozar, the rise of the Tridensers, the thousand years of Pax Lozaria, and the Lichwars. He survived the twin Kirinal Catastrophes and wept at the loss of his birthplace, the Kirinal Forest.
He battled through the early years of the Kirinal Pit, always willing to lead his forest children against interplanar invaders. When the Orrery of Worlds allowed for a time of relative peace, Oak Father turned to the task of reclaiming the blasted Kirinal Wastes. His biggest success has been helping to create the new Ki-Rin Forest. As a member of the Heavenly Council he has also taken on the responsibility of protecting the children of the Zone.
Ancient Oak Father is one of my oldest friends, even though he's still younger than me by a few hundred years.
When you live long enough, the cup of life fills with tragedy. My heart warms to see him find love at our age.
When a Tree Loves a Mushroom
From the depths of the Ki-rin Forest, ancient Oak Father heard a voice crying through the ground beneath him. He pulled his great roots from the ground. He slowly tramped out of the forest. He crossed the plains. He sighted The Tortoise. He entered into the Canton of the Dwarves.
He followed the voice to Thane McDrakon's Prison and smashed through the walls. He came upon the Myconid Mother. She had been plucked from her home. Brought out from deep under the mountains. Transplanted into the barren soil of the Zone. The grags harvested her mushrooms to make their psychic beer.
Old Oak Father stood over Myconid Mother. His foliage shielded her from the burning sun. He mingled his roots with her mycelium. They spoke, one ancient soul to another. Parts of her wanted to be free. Others were happy to be used in the harvest. So he did what trees do best. He stood guard. The dwarves could harvest. He kept them from her core.
Ever patient, Oak Father waited as the seasons passed. He sent messages out into the world. He asked for help and he waited. Then one day, someone answered.
For the answer to what happened next, see the video in the sidebar to the right.Escape From McDrakon's
Eventually after a short year of waiting, a partrol of Zone Authority Police, investigating the disappearance of Oak Father, came to Thane McDrakon's Prison. They discovered that the Myconid Mother, an innocent sophont, was being held against her will without committing any crimes. It took a pitched battle with the guards, but they released her from imprisonment.
Today the celebrated pairing of "the tree and the mushroom" are famous throughout the Zone. He created a cavity within himself for her to live, away from the bright sun, that damages her delicate tissues. They commune with each other in the Ki-rin Forest, their ancient souls intertwined as they teach each other about the millenia long journey it took them to find each other.
So fun to read after reading about the myconid mother and watching the stream! By the way: You mention her but there is no @ link of her. I know you've put her up as an articleblock in the sidebar, but I think it may be worth still linking her within the article. Question: Did you make up these characters for the stream, were they in your mind before? How much did you have to alter them from what you had envisioned so that they would fit with the SC prompts?
Thanks for the comment! Oak Father was given to me by Guy in the prompt. Myconid Mother popped into my head during my game prep, but I didn't define her as a villain or an ally until we were in the stream! They were pretty undefined during the stream, and I'm trying to make the versions I'm writing consistent with the ones in that game. Just with more evolution and detail.
Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.
Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!